(en) Ireland, WSM.ie, Defeating Croke Park 2 – Every Vote Counts

Date
Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:07:41 +0300

An analysis of the voting results on the first Croke Park Agreement shows that the votes
of a few hundred union members in a couple of unions could decide the fate of the ‘Croke
Park Extension’ deal currently being voted on by union members. Because of the bizarre -
and rather anti-democratic - system of voting at the public services committee of the
ICTU, a small margin in favour or against the deal in any particular union swings all the
votes of that union either for or against. ---- 157,200 union members voted on Croke Park
1 back in 2010 with an aggregate of 83,557 (53%) voting for and 73,643 (47%) saying no.
However when the vote was taken at the Public Services Committee, a 66% vote in favour was
recorded. ---- SIPTU and IMPACT, the two biggest unions, are primarily responsible for
this distortion in the figures.

23,370 SIPTU members voted for and 12,583 against, for example, but all of SIPTU’s 719
votes were then cast in favour at the Public Services Committee.

Relative strengths

The SIPTU and IMPACT ‘blocks’ at Public Services Committee made up 45% of the total in
2010. This is likely to have changed slightly since then. Because of the recruitment
embargo and job losses in the public sector, the relative strength of these two unions
will have shrunk slightly. Some other unions, such as the INTO, have not suffered the
same loss in membership over the past couple of years, as teachers who retired have been
replaced.

However, based on the figures from 2010 the figures are currently breaking down as follows:-

What all this means is that the votes of two unions in particular, the INTO and PSEU, are
key to the defeat of the deal. Presuming that the members of those unions who have
recommended a no vote go with the recommendation, a No vote in INTO and PSEU would be
enough to provide a majority of votes against.

Indications currently are that the vote is going to be close in both those unions. In the
INTO, speakers at information meetings have been overwhelmingly opposed to the deal. But,
far from being neutral, much of the comment from the union leadership has been clearly in
favour of accepting what they refer to as the ‘best deal available through negotiations’.

It is likely that the verdict in the INTO could come down to a couple of hundred votes
either way – so clearly every vote counts.

Break the Constraints

The TUI – having delivered an 80% No vote - has already made it clear that it has no
intention of being bound by a majority ICTU ‘yes’ vote. TUI president Gerard Craughwell
said “The TUI position is that it is not for the Public Services Committee to determine
working conditions for members of unions who have rejected the proposals.”

This is a position that every single ‘No’ union should take. It’s clear that there is
going to be a very close vote in all unions. Those who are opposed should make it clear
that they are ready and willing to leave the constraints of Congress if that is what is
necessary in order to lead a fight to defend the wages and working conditions of members.

The emergence of a campaigning block of unions would give heart to all workers – in every
union – and to campaigners against the property tax and other aspects of austerity.

If we can deliver a majority No vote within ICTU, the involvement of union members in
pushing for a fighting strategy will still be vital as the leadership of ICTU and of the
majority of its constituent unions will do everything they can to avoid leading their
members in a real fight.

Either which way – the defeat of the deal and of the government strategy is within reach.
Over the next couple of weeks every vote counts. Vote against the deal in your own
union, and organise and convince your work and union colleagues to do so as well.